The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-07-21
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
wATER FOE ANIMALS.


with mich cows. Serious results have been
known to follow the use of impure or stagnant
water. 1t is not every farm that has natural
and unfailing supply Of water, although many
have, condition that should be observed in
the purchase Of farm, as il is one Of the most
valuable considerations that can be named. A
never-failing spring Of abundant supply cannot
be too highly priced; it costs nothing for re-
| pairs and is always in woodworking order. But
/ such blessings are not shared by all, and hence
arises the necessity for providing some artif-
cial means OF supply. Wells with pumps will
answer all demands upon farms with small
number Of animals, but upon farms where they
are numbered by scores, pumping water from
q Well by hand would be both laborious and
! expensive. In such cases there would prob
ably be no better mode of supply than By wind
/ power, which when adopted should be so sit
uated that the power could he utilized for other
/ purposes upon the farm. OF course this is an
expensive method Of procuring water, but IN
der some conditions it becomes a necessity. In
a district with an undulating surface, reservoirs
can be formed whereby the surplus Of water
in Autumn and Winter can be stored for Sum-
mer use, and may serve satisfactorily. Upon
some farms there are springs, which if utilized
properly by conducting the water into troughs,
would be amply sufficient, but left to them
selves, are insufficient to do more than make a
mass Of mud where the cattle tread continually
! to Stake their thirst. Quite small spring run
into some trough or tubs will furnish an
abundant supply.-GTmGntolrn Telegraph
LEVEL Or HILL CULTURE.
The question is often asked which shall Il
| be? Well! that depends Take potatoes for
instance if the soil is inclined to be dry and
there are indications of dry season, the answer
would be, practice level culture, and not only
that, but plant 10 q good depth. But on the
| other hand, if the soil is inclined TO be moist
and indications point to a wet season. hill or
ridge culture should be practiced, as then q
part of the water that falls upon the surface
would be conducted off By the surface drains
| formed by the depression between the rows.
We call to mind an instance when, the season
| opening dry, potatoes were planted upon dry
| field, being dropped in a deep furrow upon
| strewn horse aud hog manure, and covered by
turning the heavy furrow back upon the pota-
toes. As the season advanced the complaint
| arose that the potato crop would be failure.
| which time proved 10 DC but too true in most
cases, the yield being very small in size and few
| in number; but in one field referred 10, which
was subjected to level culture large, fine potatoes
| were turned out at the rate of 800 bushels per
acre. If good development of plants is desired
| they must have a sutfciency OF moisture, and
according as it is needed; it is upon this prin-
ciple that Coles system of aqua-cultuFe is
| based. With corn about the same rule will
| hold; If the season is very dry and hill culture
| Is practiced, the hills become SO excessively
| dry as 20 work injury to the growing crops, al
| though the more extended roots may reach
where there IS some moisture, because it will
all be appropriated to satisfy the demand of
! the parched roots before reaching the stack.
Vegetable physiology ought to be studied by
farmers, SO that they can better understand
plant grOwth.-E1csGEge.
THE MANUFAcTURE OF BUTTER.
In order to secure satisfactory results in the
| manufacture OF butter, the cream should be-
come what is termed refined; it should have
| acquired degree of acidity. TO churn fresh
| cream as 1t is first collected, requires longer
| time yields less batter and of a less satisfac-
tory character. To produce a result similar
To that effected by the natural fermenting or
! souring of the cream the Danish have adopted
an artificial means which is quite satisfactory
and perhaps productive of more uniform re-
| suits. There they sour the cream by an addi-
| ton of sour buttermilk at the time of churning,
| or little time before, but not long enough
before TO allow the cream to sour Of itself and
| become stale. introduced in this way acidity
4
| aud giving IL improved keeping qualities. This
idea might be applied perhaps with profit TO the
manufacture Of butter al eFeameries in this oun-
! try, rather than let the cream stand in watts to
become frOthy mass resembling, as q Western
man expressed il, tub of soapsuds.
CABBAGE-wORM REMEDY.
The great difficulty in discovering a sure
| remedy for the various pests that infest the
farmers crops is a sufficient excuse for making
mention of any that are claimed TO be edectual
| SO long as they are comparatively inexpensive.
A Putnam County n. Y ) farmer gives a new
remedy for the cabbage worm ia the use of
water in which ground cloves have been stirred.
| Use three tablespOOnfuls in many quarts of
water, Stir well and sprinkle with a brush
broom. The remedy is simple and worthy of
| a trial.
Tho time 10 plant melons, tomatoes and
sweet potatoes is a few days after corn planting.
This varies with soil and latitude.
Tho farmer who attempts to keep sheep
and has no shepherd dog, is in about as bad
situation as the mariner who ventures at sea
| without compass.
The great value Of nitrate Of soda, q ma
terial our CultiyatOrs arc only beginning 10 learn
the value Of, is TO hasten the growth of plants
early IN the season, and for this purpose 1t has
no equal.
|
corn, only run il shallow as the corn gets larger
and the roots extend through the soil. Hoeing
is for the purpose Of killing the weeds, not TO
dig the soil.
There is no portion OF our country where
sheep husbandry can DO moro proftably con-
Quoted thgn on the mountains and tablolands
Of the Firginias, Carolinas, Tennessee, North
ern Alabama, Georgia and in Northern Missis-
sippi
-Lima-bean poles are apt TO blow over when
the vines become large. one way to prevent
this is 10 sot the poles in each four adjacent
hills inclining towards common center, draw
the tops together and tic. And mind that poles
more than four feet high are senseless.
EdInund Hersey, bingham, Mass, who has
lOnEexPer.mentedi ia growing potatoes, says that
while an ordinary crop ear be grown by almost
any one with little effort, yet 10 grow a largo
crop to Che best advantage requires greater
skill than for almost any other crop produced
on New England farm.
The ideal soil in which to set plant is
one that is moist without being water soak cd,
neither too dry nor too wet. PA such soil even
poor plant will take root. The plant will make
its own root just as acuttng does. For setting
in dry soil the plant should be weh rooted and
sOaky, and il must depend on tho roots il
already has for 4 start. -
To take plant with the roots and earth
entire from the pot it is not necessary to run
knife around it. or 10 poke a stick through the
hole in the bottom TO push it out. Just invert